I'm thinking I'd like to cut it down to ground level and let the decorative stems come back, I'd also like to see the Laburnum in next door's garden. It's also crowding the Lilac and lovely maple and there's a pretty sick looking yucca that it has crowded out.
Not dogwood but you could take out a third of the stems now to reduce its bulk and impact and then, after leaf fall, remove half of what's left of the old stems from the base and cut the rest back, including new stems to reduce the mass some more.
You will lose some flower power this way for next season but not lose the plant and can then continue with a one third pruning regime that takes out the oldest stems each autumn and thus keeps the shrub constantly renewed and healthy and a manageable size.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I'll upload leaf detail tomorrow. As background, I moved in last June and this shrub was looking like this. It did nothing until winter when it dropped its leaves, so deciduous. Waited until spring thinking I'll see what flower it throws up. It has leafed back up and looks the same as it did when I moved in.
My neighbour said she thought it had a lilac type flower but it's next to a lilac!
I won't be cutting it back until it's dormant again but if it doesn't do anything before June then I don't see a lot of value in waiting to be honest.
Anyway, leaf detail tomorrow and we'll see how it goes.
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Doesn't look like a dogwood to me, no colour to the stems. Soz don't know what it is.
I'm thinking I'd like to cut it down to ground level and let the decorative stems come back, I'd also like to see the Laburnum in next door's garden. It's also crowding the Lilac and lovely maple and there's a pretty sick looking yucca that it has crowded out.
What does the team think?
I wouldn't cut it now since there could well be birds nesting in it. Over the winter would probably be a better time.
Not dogwood but you could take out a third of the stems now to reduce its bulk and impact and then, after leaf fall, remove half of what's left of the old stems from the base and cut the rest back, including new stems to reduce the mass some more.
You will lose some flower power this way for next season but not lose the plant and can then continue with a one third pruning regime that takes out the oldest stems each autumn and thus keeps the shrub constantly renewed and healthy and a manageable size.
The stems look like philadelphus but agree need to see a leaf or two
In the sticks near Peterborough
I'll upload leaf detail tomorrow. As background, I moved in last June and this shrub was looking like this. It did nothing until winter when it dropped its leaves, so deciduous. Waited until spring thinking I'll see what flower it throws up. It has leafed back up and looks the same as it did when I moved in.
My neighbour said she thought it had a lilac type flower but it's next to a lilac!
I won't be cutting it back until it's dormant again but if it doesn't do anything before June then I don't see a lot of value in waiting to be honest.
Anyway, leaf detail tomorrow and we'll see how it goes.
Thanks,
TT